Oct 9, 2013

No food inspectors in Navi Mumbai; Hygiene issue in city's restaurants

Despite several requests by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra has not appointed a single food inspector to check whether the 200-plus food businesses operating in the satellite city – which include hotels, restaurants and caterers – adhere to the prescribed hygiene norms, and whether the quality of food served in these establishments meets the standards.
Although NMMC's health department has issued the gradation certificate and license to each eatery, it has failed to test the samples of food prepared in their kitchens. Manoj Haldankar, Shiv Sena corporator from Airoli and leader of the opposition in the civic body, confirmed that the city has no food inspectors, because no post of food inspectors has been sanctioned to it, unlike other municipal corporations.
Jagannath Sinnarkar, deputy commissioner, NMMC, said, “As a result, the civic body has to rely on FDA Thane. And this is the reason NMMC and FDA are not able to enforce mandatory hygienic conditions in eateries.”
“There are scores of dhabas operating in Navi Mumbai's rural and urban areas. Even after ensuring safe food, the municipality is unable to ensure the required quality. This is not only because of the absence of food inspectors, but also the fact that the staff is untrained. Moreover, the food samples collected by NMMC's health officials have to be sent to the Institute of Preventive Medicine and other food labs for quality testing, but they are not,” he added.
Dr Ramesh Nikam, municipal officer health (MOH) in-charge, NMMC, said, “We have already made several representations to FDA Maharashtra, apprising them about the need for sanctioning of the posts of food inspector.”
”The department agreed to sanction the posts. But we have been waiting for a long time, and FDA is yet to come up with any concrete solution. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, restaurateurs, mess owners, caterers and even canteen owners have to follow the stringent norms to ensure that the quality of food which is served to the customers is not compromised,” he added.
“The FDA officials have neither collected any samples for the last two years, nor inspected any eatery in the city. The food inspectors are supposed to collect at least two samples every month from each sanitary division in the city,” a source from NMMC, on the condition of anonymity.
A official from Thane FDA, who did not wish to be named, said, “In order to effectively monitor the food samples and hygiene in restaurants and hotels, additional posts should be created and the vacant posts should be filled, otherwise effective checks are not possible. We just have four food inspectors for the entire Thane district. Of these, two were deputed a few months ago. The real cause for concern is that six posts – namely two assistant commissioners' posts and four supervisory posts – are vacant. We expect that one of them would be filled soon.''
He added, “The department routinely conducts inspections. We collect food samples from restaurants and get them tested at public health laboratories in Navi Mumbai and Thane. An inspection report is sent to the corporation which issues licences to the hotels.”

Mandatory for water units to get clearances: NGT

Around 1,000 packaged drinking water units do not have the mandatory consent from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), as per submissions of counsel before the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, here on Monday. Only 153 units function with relevant consents, while 200-odd herbal water units without clearances were closed.
Clearances from the Public Works Department, Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration and the Director of Town and Country Planning are essential before applying to TNPCB for getting consent to establish by any unit.
The Bench, comprising its judicial member Justice M.Chockalingam and its expert member Prof. R.Nagendran made it clear that the units must undergo the pre-requisite formalities.
“There is no compromise now,” said Mr.Justice Chockalingam.
Last March, the Tribunal had directed them to file a report after taking cognisance of a news item published in The Hindu revealing violation of basic safety parameters in such units. Later, the Tribunal passed interim orders giving relief to the units to function till the TNPCB took call on their applications.
When the matter came up for hearing before the Tribunal, C.Seethapathy, counsel for Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufactures’ Association, contended that the Tamil Nadu Ground Water Development and Management Act, 2003, was repealed by an ordinance on September 14.
Hence, the units were not required to get clearance from Central Ground Water Authority. He prayed the Tribunal to order the TNPCB to process the pending applications of units.
Samples
Rita Chandrasekar, counsel for TNPCB, submitted that 967 packaged drinking units were functioning in the State. Out of which, only 153 units had valid consent from the TNPCB and the remaining 814 units are without consent. As per the direction of Tribunal, the TNPCB could receive samples from 805 units and other units were closed.
She said the units should fulfil pre-requisite formalities before obtaining a ‘consent to establish’ from the TNPCB. Now units should first approach Public Works Department (PWD), owner of water bodies for clearance and then the units have to get a licence from Food Safety and Drug Administration after certifying the water quality. The units also should approach the Directorate of Town and Country Planning for classification. On satisfying those formalities by the units, the TNPCB can process applications for granting consent to establish to those.
M.R. Gokul Krishnan, counsel for the State government’s Food Safety and Drug Administration, said the Commissioner for Food Safety and Drug Administration had issued closure orders to 247 herbal water units functioning without any clearance.
Adjourned
After hearing the submissions of counsel, the Tribunal directed the water packaged drinking units to approach the respective authority after completing pre-requisite formalities.
The matter was adjourned to November 29.

Saffola Active oil: Same quantity, different level of oryzanol?

A noted consumer product researcher, Dr Arvind Shenoy, made a shocking discovery while shopping. He found out that two packets of Saffola Active kept together had different levels of oryzanol, which may be in violation of FSSAI regulations
Dr Arvind Shenoy, a noted consumer product researcher, while shopping, shockingly found two distinct labels for the same packet of Saffola Active oil. One packet of Saffola Active contained 40mg of oryzanol per 10gms of oil while an identical packet showed 85mg of oryzanol per 10 gms of oil. Mr Shenoy, in his complaint, said, “The value of 40mg of oryzanol per 10gms of blended oil containing 80% of rice bran oil (RBO), is in clear violation of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations.”
 
It was also found that Saffola Active packet (containing 40mg of oryzanol per 10gms of oil) shows the same quantity of oryzanol as the one as Saffola Gold, and both are differently priced. Saffola Gold is priced higher than Saffola Active.
 
Most shockingly, the prices of the two packets of Saffola Active were found to be different as well. The one containing less amount of oryzanol (i.e. 40mg per 10gms of oil) was found to be costlier (Rs112.50 per liter; than the one containing higher amount of oryzanol (i.e 85gms per 10gms of oil) and cost Rs99 only !
 
Unless the consumer is well informed of Saffola’s nutrients or knows the differences between different packaged versions and different batches manufactured at different dates, there is no way of finding out the differences or for that matter the its pricing, says Dr Shenoy.
 
However, Marico Ltd, the producer of Saffola brand oil, says the difference in oryzanol quantity is because both the packets are produced in different batches. “The two Saffola Active packets you have received are from two different batches of production. We have updated our declaration on the packs of Saffola Active. The updated declaration of 85mg of oryzanol per 10gms is with effect from the last week of July 2013,” the company said.

Oryzanol is a rice bran extract known to have health benefits. According to Marico’s website, “The heart healthy nutrients in rice bran oil such as oryzanol are known for their cholesterol lowering ability.”
 
Marico further said Saffola Gold is a different variant under the Saffola oils portfolio and has a different composition. “Like in Saffola Active, even in Saffola Gold, we have updated our oryzanol declaration with effect from last week of June 2013. From what we gather from the picture attached, you seem to have received a pack from the earlier production. The declarations on our packets are correct as of the date on the production of the pack,” the company said.
 
Talking about difference in pricing, Marico said, the company prints maximum retail price (MRP), however, there are retailers who could be discounting it.

The following snapshots taken by Mr Shenoy shows the differences between two identical packets of Saffola Active and Saffola Gold.
 
Saffola Active (40mg)
Saffola Active (85mg)
 
Different prices of Saffola
Saffola Gold
Here is transcript of the complaint filed by Dr Shenoy:
 
The Commissioner,
Office of the Commissioner, 
Food and Drug Administration, M.S., 
Survey No. 341, Bandra-Kurla Complex, 
2nd floor, Bandra (East),
MUMBAI-400051 .
 
Dear Sir,
 
I wish to bring to your notice that the pouches of one litre packs of Saffola Gold (blended oil containing RBO 80%) and Saffola Active (blended oil containing RBO 80%). On the label under nutrition information printed on the pouch there is mentioned that oryzanol content is 40mg per 10 gms of blended oil in case of Saffola Gold.
 
Surprisingly, the two pouches of Saffola Active of one litre each from the same mall at the same time displayed on their nutrition information labels two different values of oryzanol content , namely 40 mg per 10gms and 85mg per 10 gms of blended oil!!! Surprising that the same brand should have 2 pouches with two different values for oryzanol content, that too available at the same time!!
 
The value of 40 mg of oryzanol per 10 gms of blended containing 80% RBO is in clear violation of FSSAI regulations. The ordinary consumer doesn't bother to read such label information as a result of which companies take consumers for a ride. In my opinion, as I understand, the manufacturers of Saffola brand have been selling Saffola Gold containing 40mgs per 10 gms of blended oil containing 80% RBO for almost about a year, causing great economic loss to millions of consumers.
 
In the light of this, why strict action should not be taken against the manufacturers of Saffola M/s Marico Ltd?   
 
I have enclosed the images of the pouches and purchase receipts for the same.
 
I wish the outcome of the action taken by you on my complaint will be made known to me.
 
Yours faithfully,
 
Dr Arvind R Shenoy
Consumer Product Researcher